[drstevej]

I'm thinking that you'd say:

1. That "easy believism" does not a Christian make.
<> Depends on how one defines "easy believism." I hold "impossible believism" apart from regeneration.

2. No shrinkage for those who truly come to Christ.
<> Absolutely.

[P-Marlowe]

I think the whole problem in regard to the "easy beliveism" issue is one of emphasis and definition. Going forward at a Billy Graham crusade for many people is the point of salvation in their lives. For others it is merely a response to a hypnotic suggestion and a hope that if they respond to the call they will be purged from their road to hell. The value of the response is predicated on the sincerity of the response. Jesus said to follow him. To follow requires that we move our feet, or at least jump on the train.

Jesus refers to the road to eternal life as being narrow and the road to destruction as being wide. Hence we must recognize that if we are headed to eternal life we are on a road. It is not the "step" to eternal life. It is the road. Now we can travel that road by walking with the Lord, or we can jump on the donkey that He rode in on. Either way it is clearly more than a step. For the theif on the cross the road was short. For the 10 year old who goes forward at a crusade and then lives to be 100, it is a long road.

We must recognize that we will often stray from the path. Indeed we will often get lost. But to the Lord we are not lost, because if he is our shepherd and if we are his sheep, he will find us and drag us back to the narrow road.

There have been long periods in my life where I have been off the path. Jesus always finds me, even when I am hiding. Hence I can still have the assurance of Salvation, knowing that when I am lost, he will call, and whenever he has called, I have returned to the fold.

I think a lot of the fallen away converts were never converts in the first place. And a lot of the fallen away converts have just left the path for a season and Jesus will find them and carry them back to the fold.

But I think it is very important that we do not discount every Billy Graham crusade "convert" merely because many do not stick with the program. Those who don't were probably not serious in the first place. If they are on the narrow path, Jesus will see to it that they stay there. The crusades are a good place to take the first step on the road. I am certain that there will be millions of souls in heaven who will point to an altar call as the first step on their road to eternal life.